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Mikhail Vartanov (russian: Михаил Вартанов, links=no, hy, Միքայել Վարդանով, links=no, french: Mikhaïl Vartanov, links=no; b. February 21, 1937,
RSFSR The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...
,
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
, now
Russian Federation Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, d. December 31, 2009,
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...
,
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
) was a Soviet cinematographer who made significant contribution to world cinema with the documentary films '' Parajanov: The Last Spring'' and ''Seasons''. He is considered an important cinematographer and documentarian of his generation, noted for artistic collaborations with
Sergei Parajanov Sergei Parajanov, ka, სერგო ფარაჯანოვი, uk, Сергій Параджанов (January 9, 1924 – July 20, 1990) was an Armenian filmmaker. Parajanov is regarded by film critics, film historians and filmmakers t ...
and such influential documentary films as '' Parajanov: The Last Spring'', ''The Seasons'' (directed by Artavazd Peleshyan), ''The Color of Armenian Land'', and a series of essays including ''The Unmailed Letters''.


Early career

Vartanov's debut film, ''The Color of Armenian Land'', marked the beginning of his trademark style, afterwards dubbed as the "direction of undirected action." This documentary, featuring a stylized silent commentary by painter
Martiros Saryan Martiros Saryan ( hy, Մարտիրոս Սարյան; russian: Мартиро́с Сарья́н; – 5 May 1972) was a Soviet Armenian painter, the founder of a modern Armenian national school of painting. Biography He was born into an Armenia ...
, also featured Vartanov's friends, the dissident artists
Minas Avetisyan Minas Avetisyan (, July 20, 1928 — February 24, 1975) was an Armenian painter. Biography Minas Avetisyan was born in the village of Jajur, Soviet Armenia. His mother, Sofo, was a daughter of the priest from Kars. His father, Karapet, was a ...
and
Sergei Parajanov Sergei Parajanov, ka, სერგო ფარაჯანოვი, uk, Сергій Параджанов (January 9, 1924 – July 20, 1990) was an Armenian filmmaker. Parajanov is regarded by film critics, film historians and filmmakers t ...
. Due to this the film was censored and suppressed; leading up to Avetisyan's assassination and Parajanov's imprisonment shortly after.


Friendship with Sergei Parajanov and the blacklist

Mikhail Vartanov had a close relationship with imprisoned director
Sergei Parajanov Sergei Parajanov, ka, სერგო ფარაჯანოვი, uk, Сергій Параджанов (January 9, 1924 – July 20, 1990) was an Armenian filmmaker. Parajanov is regarded by film critics, film historians and filmmakers t ...
. He was first acquainted with Parajanov's work in 1964, having watched the latter's film '' Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors'' and the test footage of the unfinished ''Kiev Frescoes'' as a student at Moscow’s
Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography The Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (russian: Всероссийский государственный институт кинематографии имени С. А. Герасимова, meaning ''All-Russian State Institute of Cinemat ...
. Their lifelong friendship began after they met for the first time in 1967, in
Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
, and discussed the screenplay of ''
The Color of Pomegranates ''The Color of Pomegranates'' is a 1969 Soviet Armenian art film written and directed by Sergei Parajanov. The film is a poetic treatment of the life of 18th-century Armenian poet and troubadour Sayat-Nova. It has appeared in many polls as one of ...
'' (also known as ''Sayat Nova''). Vartanov's next film ''Autumn Pastoral''—written by Artavazd Peleshyan and scored by composer
Tigran Mansurian Tigran Yeghiayi Mansurian ( hy, Տիգրան Եղիայի Մանսուրյան; born 27 January 1939) is a leading Armenian composer of classical music and film scores, People's Artist of the Armenian SSR (1990), and Honored Art Worker of the Arm ...
—was shelved. After Sergei Parajanov was arrested in Kiev in 1973, Vartanov immediately protested to the Prosecutor General of
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
. The recently declassified document proved that it was that letter in support of Parajanov that prompted the intensified harassment that Vartanov endured, and his subsequent firing from the
Armenfilm Armenfilm (russian: Арменфильм; hy, Արմենֆիլմ), also known as Hayfilm ( hy, Հայֆիլմ), is an Armenian film studio located in Yerevan. The studio was founded on 16 April 1923 as a production unit of the Soviet State Cinem ...
Studios 4 months after Paradjanov's imprisonment. In a letter from prison, Parajanov wrote to Vartanov: "You and your purity are colliding with circumstances and predators… That's life."


Cinematographer

Peleshyan and Gennadi Melkonian petitioned the Soviet Russian and Armenian authorities to work with Vartanov, who was by this time blacklisted and unemployed, and he was eventually allowed to participate as a
cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...
in two essay films: '' The Seasons'' (also translated as ''The Seasons of the Year'', 1975) and ''The Mulberry Tree'' (1979).


Essayist

After a 9-year absence from directing, Vartanov was asked to save a troubled project, ''The Roots'' (1983) which he later wrote was "the best film made in Armenia that year." During this period he also worked as a university professor of cinema and photography, while publishing his writings. They appeared in several languages, including French, in ''
Cahiers du cinéma ''Cahiers du Cinéma'' (, ) is a French film magazine co-founded in 1951 by André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, and Joseph-Marie Lo Duca.Itzkoff, Dave (9 February 2009''Cahiers Du Cinéma Will Continue to Publish''The New York TimesMacnab, Ge ...
''.


Later career

For over 20 years, Vartanov's films had been largely suppressed, unmentioned by press, or blocked from submission to foreign film festivals. In a letter to the imprisoned Parajanov, Vartanov wrote, quoting his favorite poet
Boris Pasternak Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (; rus, Бори́с Леони́дович Пастерна́к, p=bɐˈrʲis lʲɪɐˈnʲidəvʲɪtɕ pəstɛrˈnak; 30 May 1960) was a Russian poet, novelist, composer and literary translator. Composed in 1917, Pa ...
: "the time will come and the power of meanness and malice would be overcome by the spirit of kindness." Parajanov responded to Vartanov: "Dear Misha, I received your amazing letter... Never have you been more accurate in evaluating the world and expressing yourself...". Mikhail Vartanov's last documentary trilogy consisted of ''Erased Faces'' (1987), ''Minas: A Requiem'' (1989), and the influential film '' Parajanov: The Last Spring'' (1992) made in a war-torn, blockaded Armenia during the
First Nagorno-Karabakh War The First Nagorno-Karabakh War, referred to in Armenia as the Artsakh Liberation War ( hy, Արցախյան ազատամարտ, Artsakhyan azatamart) was an ethnic and territorial conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in th ...
.


Quotes

"In our land, the government manufactures the biography of the Artist. It honors and awards one, for nothing, and it dishonors and imprisons the other -- a wise government -- it desires to turn both into obedient slaves." "Probably, besides the film language suggested by Griffith and Eisenstein, the world cinema has not discovered anything revolutionarily new until the 'Color of Pomegranates,' not counting the generally unaccepted language of the 'Andalusian Dog' by Bunuel."


Quotes about Vartanov

*''Vartanov's film Parajanov: The Last Spring ..exemplifies the power of art over any limitations." (
Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola (; ; born April 7, 1939) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the major figures of the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Coppola is the recipient of five A ...
) *"Vartanov ..Brother and friend in arts and in soil... Dear, beloved, rare and wonderful. Perhaps, you're the only friend, who compels me to live... You possess everything an artist needs -- mind, kindness, principles, freedom. Create... That's your mission." (
Sergei Parajanov Sergei Parajanov, ka, სერგო ფარაჯანოვი, uk, Сергій Параджанов (January 9, 1924 – July 20, 1990) was an Armenian filmmaker. Parajanov is regarded by film critics, film historians and filmmakers t ...
, 1974) *"Vartanov - the Eyemoman .. (
William Saroyan William Saroyan (; August 31, 1908 – May 18, 1981) was an Armenian-American novelist, playwright, and short story writer. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1940, and in 1943 won the Academy Award for Best Story for the film ''The ...
, 1978) *"My dear friend ..If you like the screenplay (''Desert''), together we could make a masterpiece .. (Artavazd Peleshyan, 1980s) *"On January 9, came Vartanov ..Parajanov's most devoted man ..an amazing man ..gave an amazing speech .. (Gayane Khachatryan, 1990) *"Vartanov's film ..Excited and filled me with strength .. (
Tonino Guerra Antonio "Tonino" Guerra (16 March 1920 – 21 March 2012) was an Italian poet, writer and screenwriter who collaborated with some of the most prominent film directors in the world. Life and work Guerra was born in Santarcangelo di Romagna. Accor ...
, 1993) *"Vartanov was an amazing intellectual, perhaps one of the last .. (Yuri Mechitov, 2010) *"Misha Vartanov ..One of the most principled and righteous men I have ever met .. (Roman Balayan, 2010) *"We have to ensure that the work of seminal artists like Mikhail Vartanov is preserved, promoted and accessible to the widest possible audience. His films, made against all odds and under the harshest conditions, are crucial to the important heritage of world cinema." (
Agnieszka Holland Agnieszka Holland (born 28 November 1948) is a Poles, Polish film and television director and screenwriter, best known for her political contributions to Polish cinema. She began her career as assistant to directors Krzysztof Zanussi and Andrzej ...
) *"Vartanov made a wonderful film Parajanov: The Last Spring .. (
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominatio ...
)


Awards and honors

* Golden Antelope Award (for diploma film, ''The Monologue of the Mask'') Dakar, 1965. * Cinematographer of the Year (for ''The Song of Eternity''), USSR Film Festival, 1973 * Russian Academy of Cinema Arts Award (for ''Parajanov: The Last Spring''), Moscow, 1993 * Golden Gate Award (for ''Parajanov: The Last Spring''), San Francisco International Film Festival, 1995 * Golden Palm Award (for ''Parajanov: The Last Spring''), Beverly Hills Film Festival, 2003 * A film retrospective and an art exhibition, Busan International Film Festival, Korea, 2012 * A film retrospective at the Copenhagen Cinematheque, Denmark, 2020


Legacy

Parajanov-Vartanov Institute The Parajanov-Vartanov Institute is an American film organization based in Los Angeles, California, that works to study, preserve and promote the legacy of filmmakers Sergei Parajanov and Mikhail Vartanov Mikhail Vartanov (russian: Михаил ...
was established in Hollywood in 2010 to study, preserve and promote the artistic legacies of Sergei Parajanov and Mikhail Vartanov.Parajanov-Vartanov Institute
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Filmography


References


Selected bibliography


English language sources

*Dixon, Wheeler & Foster, Gwendolyn. "A Short History of Film." New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2008. *Rollberg, Peter. "Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema." Scarecrow Press, 2008. *Schneider, Steven Jay. "501 Movie Directors." London: Hachette/Cassell, 2007. *"Francis Ford Coppola Recognizes…" Hollywood Reporter (20 October 2015) *Thomas, Kevin. "Intoxicating spirit." "Los Angeles Times" (1 January 2004) *Kaplan, Ilyse. "Beverly Hills Film Festival." Variety, (7 April 2011)


Foreign language sources

* Abramov, G. "Ancient art, alive forever" Pravda newspaper, Moscow, 20 April 1966 * "Il Cinema Delle Repubbliche Transcaucasiche Sovietiche." Venice, Italy: Marsilio Editori, 1986. (Italian language) * "Les Cimes du Monde." Cahiers du Cinéma" no. 381 (1986), 42-47 (French language) * Krukova, A. "Russian Oscars were awarded in Moscow" Independent Newspaper, Moscow, 21 December 1992 * Badasian, V. " "Approaching spirituality" Republic of Armenia newspaper, 25 June 1993 * Perreault, Luc. "Paradjanov - The Last Spring" La Presse, a12, 14 Juin 1994 (French language) * Tremblay, Odile. "L'empire du pape du pop" Le Devoir, b8, 14 Juin 1994 (French language) * Stolina, G. "Larger than legends" Panorama newspaper, Hollywood, 14 January 2004 * Egiazarian, R. "Mishel Vartanov from former USSR" Novoye Vremya newspaper, Yerevan, 4 June 2005 * "Director Martin Scorsese accepts 2014 Parajanov-Vartanov Institute Award" California Courier, Los Angeles, p1, 13 October 2014 * Schneider, Steven Jay. "501 Directores de Cine." Barcelona, Spain: Grijalbo, 2008. (Spanish language)


External links


Mikhail Vartanov
Parajanov.com
Hollywood Reporter
Francis Ford Coppola on Vartanov
Deadline
*
VarietyIDFA
International Documentary Festival Amsterdam
Busan International Film Festival

Memories of an actress

Memories of Marco Mueller

Actress Topchyan on Parajanov and VartanovLA Weekly
2011
LA Weekly
2019
Hollywood ReporterScreen InternationalFIPRESCIChannel 1 Moscow - This is Cinema TV Show on Sergei Parajanov and Mikhail VartanovFacebookTwitterInstagram
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vartanov, Mikhail Russian film directors Russian people of Armenian descent 1937 births 2009 deaths Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography alumni Soviet film directors Armenian film directors Armenian documentary filmmakers Armenian screenwriters Recipients of the Nika Award Armenian documentary film directors Soviet cinematographers 20th-century screenwriters